Christmas Through the Years
by Madje Knotts
Summary: Snapshots of the Bartowski's lives as seen at Christmas. Was written before Leftovers aired, so Chuck is Intersectless, at first!  My first try at a oneshot


_A/N: Okay, so this is my first try at a oneshot, takes place after Phase Three but before Leftovers. Let me know what you think, unbetaed, so not necessarily my best work, but spelling and punctuation shouldn't be to terribly bad!_

_New chapter of Relationship Reassignment should be coming soon. Just bucking the changes the Armor Plated Rat wants me to make!

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Casa Bartowski/Walker/Grimes

Burbank, CA

December 24th, 2010 Christmas Eve

Chuck was impatient as he waited for Sarah to return home. Ever since he had lost the Intersect, he had felt left out whenever Sarah and Casey were doing anything spy related. The General had said she would find something that he could do without the Intersect, but so far, she hadn't given him anything to do and he'd been stuck at home for long periods of time.

For what was probably the hundredth time in the last hour, Chuck checked his pocket, sighing in relief when he felt the box still there. After the Belgian had kidnapped him, he had realized how truly important Sarah was to him, and he wanted to make sure she knew it.

He heard the doorknob turn and he looked at the door expectantly as Sarah walked in.

"Hey sweetie," Chuck said, going over, helping her out of her coat, and kissing her hello.

"Hey," Sarah said with a tired smile, kissing him back, "Mmm, it's good to be home."

"Long day?" Chuck asked, leading her into the living room where he had dinner laid out on the coffee table, a fake fire playing on the television, for aesthetic reasons, and the Christmas tree decorated and lit up. He'd really had too much time on his hands the past few weeks.

"Yeah," Sarah said, sitting down on the couch and pulling Chuck down beside her as she smiled appreciatively at the work he'd done. "There were so many meetings with Beckman trying to figure out your future, and your job." As she looked around at everything, she realized something was amiss, "Where's Morgan?"

"With Alex," Chuck said, standing up as he recognized his opportunity, and beginning to babble.

"I know you saw my proposal plan when the Belgian kidnapped me and I know that I said I had a ton of surprises up my sleeves, but the truth is, I don't. Or I didn't until I was spending so much time here at home and I decided to completely get rid of the proposal plan and just go with something completely unplanned, and tonight presented the perfect opportunity. So here it goes," Chuck took a deep breath and dropped to one knee pulling out the box that was in his pocket and opening it.

"Sarah Walker, I've loved you ever since I met you and when you rescued me and said that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me, I was the happiest I've ever been. So, Sarah Walker, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?"

Sarah had lost all presence of mind the minute Chuck had dropped to his knee, and so it took a moment before she processed the question. When she finally did, a smile spread across her face.

"Yes Chuck!" she said, launching herself into his arms, knocking him off balance as she kissed him.

He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, Sarah gasped as she inspected the ring. The band was thin gold, with a circle cut diamond rimmed with twelve smaller stones, each stone the color of one of the birthstones.

"It's beautiful Chuck," Sarah said, kissing him again.

"I still don't know your birthday, so I got all the birthstones set into it." Chuck said.

"Well I love it Chuck," Sarah said, then she whispered into his ear, "And just for the record, tomorrow is my birthday."

Chuck smiled and kissed Sarah, glad that Sarah had finally decided to trust him.

"Chuck," Sarah said, "I want to have the wedding next year at this time. I think that Christmas has officially become my favorite time of the year."

"You got it Sarah," Chuck said, kissing Sarah passionately, which led to, well, you know.

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Casa Bartowski

Burbank, CA

December 25th 2012 Christmas Day

Chuck knocked softly on the bedroom door, waiting outside with his and Sarah's breakfast.

"Come in," Sarah said softly from inside.

"Merry Christmas sweetie," Chuck said as he walked inside the room, smiling as he watched his wife feed his week old daughter. "How're my girls?"

"We're good," Sarah said, glancing down at the baby. "So have we figured out a first name yet?"

"I thought of one as I was making breakfast." Chuck said, "Actually, I kinda googled Christmas names and meanings."

"So, what is Baby Margaret's first name?" Sarah asked, beginning to burp the baby.

"Natalie, it literally means, 'Born at Christmas'." Chuck said, reaching over and stroking Natalie's soft dark hair.

"Natalie Margaret Bartowski," Sarah said, trying the name out, "I like it."

"Merry Christmas Natalie Margaret Bartowski," Chuck said, kissing baby Natalie's forehead. "And a Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to you too; Mrs. Sarah Walker Bartowski."

"Merry Christmas Mr. Bartowski," Sarah said, leaning over and kissing her husband.

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Beach where they watched the sunrise on their first date

Malibu, CA

December 24th, 2036 Christmas Eve

"You ready mom?" 24-year-old Natalie asked Sarah as they waited with 20-year-old Jessica for the signal.

"Yeah," Sarah said, a bright smile on her face as she adjusted her dress.

"We're lucky the weather's so nice today," Jessica said, smiling at her older sister and mother.

It was 80 degrees that day, perfect for what they had planned.

Sarah smiled at her two daughters, holding out her arms for them to link their arms with hers.

"We're ready," Ellie said as they heard music spilling from the waterfront.

Sarah felt as nervous as she had 25 years before on that same day, and for the same reason. Arms still linked with her daughters, they began to walk down the sand aisle towards the makeshift altar.

Standing up there, were her 18-year-old son Sam, Natalie's husband of one year, and Morgan and Alex's son, Luke, and her own husband, looking just as nervous as she felt.

In the center was Casey, who had agreed to officiate the ceremony, having been promoted to General 15 years earlier.

"Happy Anniversary," Chuck whispered as Sarah reached him. "And Merry Christmas Eve."

"Happy Anniversary Chuck," Sarah whispered back, before turning to Casey and beginning their renewing of the vows ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony Casey said, "I now re-pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Bartowski. You may now kiss your bride. But please, I've run out of brain bleach, keep it in your pants Bartowski."

Everyone laughed as Chuck and Sarah leaned over and kissed, chastely to the relief of Casey.

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Westside Medical Center

Burbank, CA

December 30th 2037

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Morgan, Aunt Alex," Natalie began as all four walked into her hospital room, "I'd like you to meet your grandson and granddaughter Charles Morgan and Sarah Alexis Grimes."

Sarah and Alex cooed as they went in and grabbed their twin grandchildren from their respective son and daughter. Morgan and Chuck stood back and watched as their wives held their grandchildren.

"Did you ever think we'd be here Little Buddy?" Chuck asked, "Our children married to each other, sharing the same grandchildren?"

"It's been my plan since we were little Chuck!" Morgan exclaimed, "Are you kidding me? This is my dream come true!"

Sarah heard the statement and laughed as she walked over, handing baby Charles over to Morgan. Linking her arm through Chuck's, she led him over to the bed where Natalie was lying, watching her husband and in-laws.

"How're you feeling sweetheart?" Chuck asked, kissing his oldest on the forehead.

Natalie smiled at her father, "I'm feeling pretty good Daddy. A little tired, but they are definitely worth it."

Sarah smiled, "Yes they are, just like you, Jessie, and Sammy were."

Chuck felt his phone buzz and he sighed, "I have to go, I love you Natty, have a Happy New Year."

"Love you Daddy." Natalie said, waving goodbye as her mother and father left the room.

"Do you have to go?" Sarah asked her husband as he pulled the phone out, confirming what he had suspected.

"It's Casey, he needs me to look over some urgent files that just came in. I should be home before midnight." Chuck said, wishing, not for the first time, that his wife could come with him.

Sarah had quit spying when Samuel was born, realizing that she now had three children to take care of, and that was a full time job in itself. Chuck however, had regained the Intersect three years after it had been suppressed, and he was still going through reports for anything of significance.

"Be careful." Sarah said as he walked away, a habit now after 18 years of practice.

"I will." Chuck said, walking as quickly as he could towards the elevator.

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Chuck walked in the door later that night with a massive headache from flashing all evening. Sarah, sitting at the kitchen table, stood up wordlessly and handed him two Aspirin and a glass of water.

"Thank you," Chuck said, swallowing the Aspirin and downing the water.

"You're Welcome," Sarah said, kissing him on the cheek. She looked at the clock as it struck midnight, "You just made it. Happy New Year Chuck."

"Happy New Year," Chuck said, leaning down and kissing Sarah, again you know what happened next.

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Beach

Malibu, CA

December 24th, 2062

Natalie, Jessica, and Sam stood at the water -front, shivering, as unlike 26 years ago, the weather was cold and bitter. Each was remembering the last wishes of Chuck and Sarah Bartowski.

Chuck had been the first to go, 6 months earlier, his brain no longer able to take the strain of the Intersect, even with the Governor. Sarah had died 3 months later, the doctors didn't know why, but her children did, she was unable to live without Chuck.

They had spent 50 years together, 50 happy years together. Sure, they'd fought some, but what couple didn't? They all sure did with their spouses, and children. Overall though, Chuck and Sarah Bartowski had been the perfect couple, one rarely ever seen without the other, both in love with each other until the day Sarah died.

"So," Natalie began, running her hand through her long, blonde hair, that was beginning to gray, "Mom and Dad wanted us to scatter their ashes here, together, on the anniversary succeeding the last death. Anyone want to say anything?"

"Sure," Jessica said, blue eyes tearing up. Of the three she looked the most like their mother, while Sam looked like their father, and Natalie looked like both. "You know, I always thought it was weird how Mom and Dad had such a fascination for the Christmas season, and the month of December, but then I realized how much happened in December."

"It was insane," Samuel agreed, "They got engaged, married, had Natalie, went on like 4 cruises, renewed their vows, Natalie got married and had their first grandchild. It was so weird how it all happened."

"Mom always said that before Dad asked her to marry him, she hated Christmas cause of her childhood. But afterwards, it became her favorite time of year." Natalie said, "They even named me Natalie cause it means 'Born at Christmas'."

"Really?" Jessica said, "I didn't know that."

"Yeah," Natalie said, looking down at the urn that held her parent's ashes.

"Why's your middle name Margaret?" Samuel asked, curious.

"It was mom's mother's name." Natalie said, "We ready?"

Jessica and Sam nodded and Natalie opened up the urn.

They watched as the wind caught the ashes and blew it out across the water. As they stood there they thought about their parents and how no matter what, they had always loved each other. They had never gone to bed angry, always resolving their fights, talking them out as a couple. And if there was one thing the Bartowski children knew they could count on, it was that Chuck and Sarah had always loved each other and would always be together. So Sarah's death really hadn't come as a shock to anyone.

After they had stood there a while it got cold and they all turned to walk away, each saying one last thing into the setting sun.

"You guys were the best parents a kid could ask for," Samuel said, "I always looked up to both of you, I'll miss you."

"I love you Mom and Dad," Jessica said, voice hoarse, "I'm really going to miss you, and so are all of your grandchildren."

"Merry Christmas Mom and Dad," Natalie said, waiting until last, letting her brother and sister walk away arm in arm, "Happy Anniversary, and Happy Birthday Mom. I loved you guys, and I'm going to miss you both, a lot." Taking a deep breath to fight back the tears, she turned and walked away, leaving her parents alone and together on Christmas Eve for the last time.

The End

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_**Let me know what you think by pressing that little button!**_

_**Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers, hope you have a wonderful holiday season!**_

_**Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Men,**_

_**Madje Knotts**_


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